A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of snow and ice melting mechanisms, more specifically, a portable heat generator that is both mobile and specifically designed to melt snow or ice from the ground.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with snow and ice melting apparatuses. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a device that is easily movable, and of which includes portable heat generating means therein, which are directed to melting snow and ice on the ground.
The Schmitt Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,926) discloses a portable ice and snow-melting machine that directs heated air with a blower onto the surface of the ground. However, the machine is not remotely powered via a generator, and of which includes a heater deck extends in front of the machine and further includes a heating element suspended below a blower.
The Monson Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,762) discloses a generator and motor mounted on a wheeled cart with a handle for pushing the machine and which has a blower device for directing heated exhaust on the ground for melting snow and ice on a sidewalk, driveway, or roadway. However, the snow melting heater deck does not have an automated deck winch assembly for raising and lowering the heater deck from above the ground to an upright position.
The Zimmerman Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,450) discloses a walk behind portable snow and ice melting machine. However, the machine does not have a heater deck that extends in front of the portable power generator, and of which said heater deck can be winched up or down via an automated deck winch assembly.
The Dai Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,200) discloses a mobile device using heated air for melting snow and ice, which is pushed by a person. However, the mobile device does not include a heater deck that is suspended above the ground and of which directs heated air down to the ground below in order to melt snow or ice.
The Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,071) discloses a walk behind snowplow and ice melting machine that directs heated air by blower onto the snowplow augers. However, the device is not directed to simply melting snow and ice, but rather is directed to heating a snowplow auger.
The Yuzuriha Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 554,155) illustrates a design for a walk behind snowplow and melting machine, which does not depict a heater deck that directs heated air downwardly in order to melt snow or ice on the ground.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a snow and ice melting device, which consists of a portable power generator that includes a heater deck suspended above the ground and forward of the generator, and of which the heater deck can be raised or lowered via an automated winch assembly. In this regard, the snow and ice melting device departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.